Blowout or Angry Ear?

[sarawr]

Hey, everyone! Long time stalker, first time poster.

I started stretching in the beginning of the year and am going really slowly (at least a month between stretches) - a few weeks ago I tried upsizing to an 8g on both ears. My left side took to it OK, but my right really hurt for a whole day afterwards and the back started looking not-so-normal. I immediately downsized back to a 12g on that ear and did daily sea salt soaks, oil massages... anything to make it happy again. Some piercers I've talked to say it doesn't look like a blowout, but I'm not entirely convinced.

What do you think?
- Front
- Back with plug
- Back without plug

It looks white, flaky, and all-around pissy - you can see there's kind of a circle around it in picture 3. It doesn't hurt anymore, but I'm worried there's permanent damage. Argh.

[bradykay90]

There's nothing wrong that should go away in a week or to slow it down 1 month isn't long enogh wait 6-8 weeks in between stretches. Just keep them clean like your doing. Also idk if u went from 12g-8g but don't skip sizes its not healthy for your lobes

[sarawr]

There's nothing wrong that should go away in a week or to slow it down 1 month isn't long enogh wait 6-8 weeks in between stretches. Just keep them clean like your doing. Also idk if u went from 12g-8g but don't skip sizes its not healthy for your lobes

1 month was fine for my body - no pain or anything until the recent stretch to an 8g. I didn't skip sizes going up, I skipped sizes going DOWN just in case it was a blowout so it would have more room to heal. It's been like this for a few weeks and hasn't gotten any better, though. :/

[bradykay90]

Ok I was making sure u didn't skip 10g. Its diffently isn't a blow out so u don't have to worry. And yiur starting to get into the "little big stretches" lil never push a taper thru ur ear uf there's any pain or resistance if it doesn't want to go try again a week after and its the same process. Just keep it clean and it will be fine

[sarawr]

Ok I was making sure u didn't skip 10g. Its diffently isn't a blow out so u don't have to worry. And yiur starting to get into the "little big stretches" lil never push a taper thru ur ear uf there's any pain or resistance if it doesn't want to go try again a week after and its the same process. Just keep it clean and it will be fine

Naw, no skipping sizes for me... I did too much research to make that mistake! Thanks so much for your input, I really appreciate it.

[bradykay90]

This shiuld give u an idea of sone blowouts " don't open if u don't have a strong stomach"

http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/ ... =slideshow

[bradykay90]

Your welcome keep me updated on ur future stetches and let us know if you have anymore? Or problems

[DarkCustom13]

It looks fine! It is normal to have some swelling when stretching. Take some ibeprophin and hold some ice on it for a couple days next time and leave in the new size plug. it will be fine it just gets a little angry some times. Some peoples ears are more sensitive then others. Some people stretch with zero pain and it just slides right in. some people do have pain no matter how long they wait. A lot of folks dont want to believe it but when you stretch your ears to a new size your actually creating dozens of little Micro tears in the hole with each stretch. Everyone reacts to that process differently. Over the course of 5 to 8 weeks you are letting the collagen molecules build back up and your lobe gets its elasticity back over that time.. Also for example many people have pain in at least one ear when they stretch because of other reasons such as built up scar tissue over time. There are oils that can help break it up but usually will not get rid of it all together.. Like me for example i have pain in my left ear every time i stretch no matter how long i wait in between stretches because of scar tissue. My right ear stretches picture perfect every time with out any pain at all.. I stretch ever 5 weeks. Ive left my left ear go 8 weeks one time when i first started stretching and it still hurt when i stretched. In a week and a half i will be stretching up again and im sure there will be some pain and swelling in the left as always. Even right now my holes feel completely ready but i will still wait the full time.

[sarawr]

It looks fine! It is normal to have some swelling when stretching. Take some ibeprophin and hold some ice on it for a couple days next time and leave in the new size plug. it will be fine it just gets a little angry some times. Some peoples ears are more sensitive then others. Some people stretch with zero pain and it just slides right in. some people do have pain no matter how long they wait. A lot of folks dont want to believe it but when you stretch your ears to a new size your actually creating dozens of little Micro tears in the hole with each stretch. Everyone reacts to that process differently. Over the course of 5 to 8 weeks you are letting the collagen molecules build back up and your lobe gets its elasticity back over that time.. Also for example many people have pain in at least one ear when they stretch because of other reasons such as built up scar tissue over time. There are oils that can help break it up but usually will not get rid of it all together.. Like me for example i have pain in my left ear every time i stretch no matter how long i wait in between stretches because of scar tissue. My right ear stretches picture perfect every time with out any pain at all.. I stretch ever 5 weeks. Ive left my left ear go 8 weeks one time when i first started stretching and it still hurt when i stretched. In a week and a half i will be stretching up again and im sure there will be some pain and swelling in the left as always. Even right now my holes feel completely ready but i will still wait the full time.

Phew. Glad to hear I'm not the only person with problems. Thanks for the advise.

[Kima]

Since we're at it, I have a similar question. I stretched progressively, over about six months, and have been at 6g/4mm for almost a year now. I am not planning to go on stretching but, even after all this time, the holes are still red and irritated. I use good quality oil and butter very regularly and, since I like natural materials, switched from wood/bone/horn to stone plugs that aren't as porous. Nothing bad happened when I was stretching, a little pain but nothing serious, and after a year I expected the fistulas to be healed. It's not alarming but closer to discomfort. Even now it's nothing serious, but it can hurt to change jewellry and take a couple of days to stabilize after that. Is this normal?